Digging apparatus



Sept. l5, 1964 R, FERWERDA DIGGING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-'Sheet 1 Filed June 28, 1861 l I'. :lll I l l' mm s Ne y EE M Mw e m F M M Sept. 15, 1964 R. FERWERDA 3,148,738

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INVENTOR. RAY FEEWEEDA TTOENE YS United States Patent O 3,148,788 DIGGING APPARATUS Ray Ferwerda, 1050 NW. 163rd Drive, North Miami, Fla. Filed June 28, 1961, Ser. No. 120,359 2 Claims. (Cl. 214-138) This invention relates to an earth handling apparatus, such as a backhoe, either a dipper-stick-type apparatus or auxiliary-boom-type apparatus, wherein the latter apparatus has a movable boom which is adapted for motion axially and circumferentially and is particularly adapted for attaching a backhoe digging tool to its distal end.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending United States patent application, Serial No. 16,092, now Patent No. 3,069,033, entitled Axially and Circurnferentially Movable Boom for Digging Apparatus, led March 18, 1960.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved digging apparatus comprising in combination a vehicle, a boom, support means for the boom having a pivot point 'for up and down motion and adapted to be fastened to the vehicle, means for fastening a `tool such as a backhoe to one end of the boom, means for moving the boom axially, and means for moving the boom circumferentially to thus impart an up and down motion, a back and forth motion, and a twisting motion to the tool fastened to the distal end of the boom.

Another object of the present invention is .to provide an apparatus having quickly interchangeable parts providingeither a dipper-stick-type apparatus or an axially or circumferentially movable auxiliary-boom-type apparatus.

Another object of the present invention is to provide novel means for axially and circumferentially moving a boom operatively connected kto a vehicle and having a tool such as a backhoe fastened on its distal end.

It is an object to provide an improved digging apparatus particularly adapted for a backhoe tool in which the backhoe is mounted on a boom which can be either pivoted about a horizonal axis or twisted circumferentially as well as moved axially along its longitudinal axis.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved digging apparatus comprising in combination a vehicle, a -movable booma support for the boom and pivotably attached to the vehicle, a backhoe attached to the distal end of the boom, and a carriage frame rigidly connected to the boom support `for slidably and rotatably mounting the boom therewithin whereby the boom can be moved both axially and circumferentially.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the description that follows, the appended claims and from the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View showingthe improved digging apparatus of the present invention which includes a vehicle, an auxiliary movable boom having a backhoe attached on its distal end, a main boom or'auxiliary boom support pivotally mounted on the vehicle, and Ameans for `axially and circumferentially movingthe auxiliaryboom;

FIG. 2 `is an elevational sectional view illustrating the boom support or main boom shown in FIG. l, the movable or auxiliary boom, and means for circumferentially and axially moving the auxiliary boom according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 -is a sectional view taken along the line indicated at 3-3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line indicated at 4 4 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an exploded View of the parts in FIG. 2 disassembled; while FIG. 6 is a fluid flow diagram useable with the illustrated apparatus used as either a dipper-stick-type apparap ICC handling apparatus B vin FIGS. 1-5 ,comprising a novel combination of ya vehicle, a tool carrying member such as an auxiliary boom, an auxiliary lboom support or main boom pivotably attached to the vehicle, -means for fastening a tool, which is preferably ka backhoe, at one end of the tool carrying member, means for axially moving said boom xed on said support and operatively connected between the support and the boom, and boom twisting means .xed on said support and operatively connected between the support and the boom for moving the boom circumferentially, both the axial moving means and the boom twisting means being attached to the support on the same side of V.the pivot `point thereof. Thus, the irnproved apparatus` provides a back and forth motion and a twisting motion to lthe backhoe as well as an up and down motion.

As shown .in FIGS. `1 and `2, the improved digging apparatus Bof the .present invention comprises a vehicle 1 of rigid construction having a platform 2 mounted on wheels 3. A pairoffront lateral bracing legs 5 and operator cabs .6 are attached to the platforrnl. As seen in FIG. 1 which illustrates one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle 1 has a rigid front mounting member 8 which supports pivotably vthereon a main boom support 1 0. .The main boom, inthe embodiment illustrated has pivot points 11 and 11a with pivot 11a ,being located at one end and adapted for attachment to `the vehicle. Means for movingl the main boom 10 about its pivot point 11a, such as a fluid motor or hydraulic jack member 12, vis provided kto give the distal end 14 of boom 10 an up-and-down motion. The jack member 12 is pivotably attached-at opposite ends to the vehicle at point 12a and to boom 10 at pivot 11.

A movable auxiliary boom or tool `carrying member 15 is mounted at its `left to support 10 through fluid motor 55, having a pivot pin 16 at one end adapted for detachable attachment to `bracket 18 welded or bolted to boom 10.

The boom 15 has means for fastening a tool at its distal end F17. In theembodiment shown in FIGS. l and 2, the tool comprises a backhoe tool 20 which is the preferred toolvused in the improved apparatus of the present invention, although other tools such as a bucket can be used to advantage. The forward `upward portion of the backhoe is provided with ears 21 which are mounted to pivot pin 22 which in turn is carried within brackets 23 securely mounted on theboom end. The backhoe 20 also has rearwardly disposed upper ears 24 which are pivotably connected to arm 25 by pivot pin 26. Arm 25 is also operatively connected to arm 27 by pivot pin 28.

It can be seen -in FIG. 2, for instance, thatthe arms 25Vand 27 depend from the piston rod 30 of an actuating cylinder and piston typetool actuating iiuid motor 29. The arm 27 is pivotally connected at one end by means of ./pivot pin 31 to tool 20 and at the other endto boom 15, whereby motion of thepiston rod 30 swings backhoe 20 around the pivot pin 22 aswell as pivot pin 31 relative to boom 15. K

The actuating motor-29 is hydraulically driven and has a retractable wire-,covered hose 32 to convey hydraulic fluid between boom 10 and motor or jack member 29.

In a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, a carriage frame 35 having `inner frame 35h and outer frame 35a relatively rotatably about the longitudinal axis of boom 15, is provided as amounting sleeve 35 surrounding boom 15, which sleeve is adapted for both As seen in FlGS. 1 and 3, the sleeve or frameV 35aH i rigidly connected to boom 1) by mounting bracket plates 36 and 36a, the latter plate 36a being welded to the frame 35a near each end thereof and being secured by detachable bolts 4@ to angle plates 36 welded to boom 10.

As best seen in FGS. 2, 3 and 4, the carri-age frame 35a comprises a pair of end thrust rings 37 and a pair of iixed rings 3S, each of which xed rings is adjacent to and disposed inwardly of said thrust rings. `Each pair of the thrust and fixed rings are held spaced apart by means of their aforseaid rigid connection to plate 36a.

Thus, as noted in the drawings, each fixed ring 3S is welded to the plate 36a and bears outwardly against its adjacent thrust ring 37.

The frame 35b comprises a plurality of hollow longitudinally extending rails 39 having a U-shaped cross section to form a squirrel cage type` of frame. There should be at least three rails 39 in accordance with the present invention, although, as shown, four rails are highly preferred when the boomis cylindrical. When the boom has four or five sides or more, there may be four, ve or more corresponding rails.

As an illustration of the preferred boom twisting means of the present invention, a pair of twist rings 43 and 44 are provided, one on each end of the frame 35h and held rigidly in spaced relationship by the aforesaid rails which are welded on each end to one of the twist rings in frame 35b. Each twist ring is disposed within one of the iirst rings 33 and adapted to rotate therein in order to eventually provide the boom with a circumferential motion. e g

As seen in the drawings, each twist ring is concentric with its enveloping iixed ring 38 and lin the same plane therewith. Thus, both the twist and fixed rings bear against the interior side of the thrust ring. According to the p-resent invention, the twist rings are connected to a twist cylinder or piston motor 45 having a cylinder member 46 and a piston actuated member 4.7. In the embodiment shown herein, the cylinder' 46 is pivotally mounted by detachable pin 63 to bracket 64 welded to the boom and the piston member 47 is operatively connected to the twist rings 43 and 44 of frame 35b. Thus, movement of the piston 47 rotates the twist ring 43 and frame 35h circumferentially relative to frame 35a.

The twist rings 43 and 44 are connected to the auxiliary boom actuating iluid or twist motor 45, in the preferred embodiment shown, to the piston member 47 of the twist cylinder. The twist ring and cylinder `piston are connected through crank arm 48 which, in turn, is rigidly connected to one of the rails 39. The rail 39 and connecting crank arm 48 are connected by pivot pin 49 to the distal end of the piston 47 and rigidly connected to one end of the crank arm 4S. As seen in FIG. 4, the movement of piston 47 can twist the boom rotationah ly about the longitudinal axis of boom 15 through an angle of 90 degrees, the two extreme up and down positions ofthe piston and twist cylinder being shown in dot-dash lines. o

Further describing the boom twisting means, a plurality of channels 50, equal in number to the number of rails 39, are provided preferably around the outer periphery of the boom 15 equally spaced thereon and welded thereto and disposed around the boom'in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof. Each of the channels opens radially outwardly and has a base 51 and side walls 52, as shown in the preferred embodiment in the drawings.

As seen in FIG. 4 for instance, friction reducing means comprising a plurality of rollers 53 are rotatably mounted by shafts to rails 39 on the frame 35b at spaced points circumferentially about the boom within the channels 5t) thereof and within the hollow rails 39 of the frame 35h whereby the boom is moved easily in an axial direction 4 within the interior of the frame 35 by the rolling action of the rollers 53 in the channels 50.

Artexlescoping motor 55 is provided to move the boom' 15 axially through the Yframe 35 relative to boom 10i The motor or hydraulic jack means 55 comprises a cylinder member 56, connected to boom 1G by pivot 16, and a piston member 57; and the piston member is actuated by hydraulic iiuid from lines 58 and 59 by suitable controls, not shown. Thus, it is seen that movement of the main cylinder piston 57, which is operably connected to the boom by means of a clevis pivoting on a cross bar 60 fastened to interior boom brackets 61, pushes the boom axially in and out through the frame 35.

When a twisting action-is desired for the backhoe 20, the piston 47 of the twist cylinder may be activated by controls not shown to move and rotate the twist rings 43 and 44. The rotation of the twist rings, which are con-V nected to the boom 15 through contact of the rollers 53 with channels Sil and rails 39, also rotates the boom 15 As best seen in FIG. 4, when the twist rings 43 and 44 start to rotate, one of the sides 52 of the channels 58 is brought to bear against the side of each of the rollers 53. This contact twists the boom 15 circumferentiallyi Apparatus B in FIG. l may be operated by the same type iiuid control system shown in FIG. 6 for apparatus D. Here, uid tank 70 has fluid sucked therefrom and pumped under pressure by pump 71 to all manually actuatable, four-way control valves 73, 74, 75, "76 and 77 for controlling respectively iuid motors 56, 12, 29', '4S and Slt-82. Each valve permits fluid exhaust from one end of its controlled fluid motor cylinder to tank 70 while feeding liuid under pressure from pump'71 to the other end to move the motor in one direction, permits the' reverse of this liiow between valve and its controlled cylin= der to move the motor in the opposite direction, or cuts olf flow to both ends of the cylinder to hold the motor v ends in a lixed position. Single fluid pressure relief valves 78 and 79 and double iiuid pressure relief valve 80may be provided to adjustably control the maximum fluid pressure in the respective lines. The fluid motors include main-boom actuating motor 12, tool-member ac= tuating motor 55, tool-actuating motor 29450, and boom swing actuating motors S1 and 82. Motors 12, 29-30, 45 and 55 are double acting uid motors having respectively viiuid supplying and exhaust lines 12C, 32, 45a,

and 58-59. Motors 81 and 82 are single acting fluid Auxiliary-boom-type apparatus B in FIGS. 1-5 can be quickly changed to a dipper-stick-type apparatus D in FIG. 6 by the interchange of some parts in the following steps. i

First, the parts of apparatus B are removed from boom 10. The operator removes bolts 4t) and pivot pins 16 and 63 so as to separate booms 1t) and 15 in the manner shown in FIG. 5; Also, fluid lines 45a are disconnected from cylinder 45. If desired, iiuid motors 29-30 and 55, and tool 20 with pivot pins 22 and 26 and link 25 with pivot pin 28 may be removed from boom 15 for use in the FIG. 6 apparatus D. If desired, motors 29-30 and 55 may be furnished separately for each apparatus B and D and specially designed for each apparatus.

Second, the parts of apparatus D are attached to boom 1t?. The dipper stick assembly includes a tool carrying member in the form of clipper stick 9) having tool-actuating fluid motor 29-30 operatively connected at opposite ends to member 99 and through links 25 and 95 to tool 20 connected in a similar manner to member 90 (except movement. Detachably pivot pins 92 and 93 connect opposite ends of iiuid motor 55 by clinder 56 to boom and by piston rod 57 to member 90. Now, it should be apparent that suitable actuating of valves 73, 74, 7S and 77 in FIG. 6 cause in dipper-stick apparatus D respectively pivoting of dipper stick 9@ about pivot piu 91, raising or lowering of boom 10 about pivot pin 11a, pivoting of tool 20 about pivot pin 22, and swinging of member S about vertical axis A. Valve 76 is in its closed position because iiuid motor 45 is not now used.

Now, it should be apparent that both apparatuses B and D use the same correspondingly numbered parts in FGS. 2 and 6 and luid iiow system (except for suitable hose extensions and connections, where necessary) so that the change from one form of apparatus to the other can be made quickly and easily, and a single, universal machine takes the place of two more expensive machines.

Apparatus B has certain advantages over apparatus D. Apparatus B exters a greater force, for a given sized iiuid motor Se', by digging tool 20 than apparatus D because the force in apparatus B is directly proportional to the output of cylinder 56 whereas the force exerted by tool 20 in apparatus D is stepped down in approximately 31/2 to 1 by lever 9i) and pivot 91. Also, apparatus B confines the swing of tool 20 about axis A to a smaller radius circle and coniines the overall height of boom 10, and its appurtenances, to a lower height above vehicle 1 for a given digging depth so as to provide advantageous operating features in close operating areas and inside of buildings.

Apparatuses B and D both have common operating features and advantages. Both provide speed, power and precision in movement of tool 20; job-to-job mobility by self-propelled vehicle 1; maneuverability in tight spots; full fluid power operation by the circuit shown in FIG. 6; low maintenance cost; wrist action digging by tool 20 about pivot 22; and positive down pressure exerted on tool 20 by iuid pressure.

Thus, the present invention comprises an improved backhoe tool which is operated on the end of a tool carrying member taking the form of either an auxiliary boom in FIGS. 1-5 conveniently twisted circumferentially or moved in and out axially or a dipper stick 90 in FIG. 6 to provide the action on the backhoe tool itself.

It is to be understood that in accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, this invention is not limited to the particular apparatus shown and described herein and that various modifications of said apparatus can be made without departing from the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. An apparatus, comprising a vehicle, a main boom pivotally mounted at one end to said vehicle, a mainboom-actuating uid motor operatively connected at opposite ends to said vehicle and boom for causing relative movement therebetween, and means for quickly and interchangeaby connecting to said main boom a tool-carrying dipper-stick or a tool-carrying auxiliary boom including a sleeve in which said auxiliary boom is mounted for rotation about its own axis by a first cylinder and piston motor and for oscillation axially of said sleeve by a second cylinder and piston motor, said means including means for detachably connecting to said main boom said dipperstick at a pivot point intermediate the ends of said dipperstick, said tool carried by said dipper-stick at one end thereof, means for detachably connecting a cylinder and piston motor between said main boom and a point on said dipper-stick spaced from said pivot point on the side of said point away from said tool, means for detachably connecting said sleeve to said main boom, means for detachably connecting said iirst cylinder and piston motor to said main boom, and means for detachably connecting said second cylinder and piston motor to said main boom.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim l, wherein said second cylinder and piston motor is said motor connectable between said main boom and said dipper-stick, whereby control of said second cylinder and piston motor always controls oscillation of a tool carried by said dipper-stick 0r by said auxiliary boom.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Mork Mar. 8, 1960 Bradley June 20, 1961 

1. AN APPARATUS, COMPRISING A VEHICLE, A MAIN BOOM PIVOTALLY MOUNTED AT ONE END TO SAID VEHICLE, A MAINBOOM-ACTUATING FLUID MOTOR OPERATIVELY CONNECTED AT OPPOSITE ENDS TO SAID VEHICLE AND BOOM FOR CAUSING RELATIVE MOVEMENT THEREBETWEEN AND MEANS FOR QUICKLY AND INTERCHANGEABLY CONNECTING TO SAID MAIN BOOM A TOOL-CARRYING DIPPER-STICK OR A TOOL-CARRYING AUXILIARY BOOM INCLUDING A SLEEVE IN WHICH SAID AUXILIARY BOOM IS MOUNTED FOR ROTATION ABOUT ITS OWN AXIS BY A FIRST CYLINDER AND PISTON MOTOR AND FOR OSCILLATION AXIALLY OF SAID SLEEVE BY A SECOND CYLINDER AND PISTON MOTOR, SAID MEANS INCLUDING MEANS FOR DETACHABLY CONNECTING TO SAID MAIN BOOM SAID DIPPERSTICK AT A PIVOT POINT INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS OF SAID DIPPERSTICK, SAIS TOOL CARRIED BY SAID DIPPER-STICK AT ONE END THEREOF, MEANS FOR DETACHABLY CONNECTING A CYLINDER AND PISTON MOTOR BETWEEN SAID MAIN BOOM AND A POINT ON SAID DIPPER-STICK SPACED FROM SAID PIVOT POINT ON THE SIDE OF SAID POINT AWAY FROM SAID TOOL, MEANS FOR DETACHABLY CONNECTING SAID SLEEVE TO SAID MAIN BOOM, MEANS FOR DETACHABLY CONNECTING SAID FIRST CYLINDER AND PISTON MOTOR TO SAID MAIN BOOM, AND MEANS FOR DETACHABLY CONNECTING SAID SECOND CYLINDER AND PISTON MOTOR TO SAID MAIN BOOM. 